Birmingham never wins the West Valley League baseball championship. But the Patriots are certainly putting themselves within striking distance of first-place El Camino Real.

They remained one game behind El Camino Real after an 8-0 win over Granada Hills on Tuesday in which Carlos Acuna gave up one hit in six innings and struck out 11. He also had two hits. Sebastian Valadez and Toni Mendoza each had two hits and two RBIs.

El Camino Real and Birmingham play a two-game series beginning April 29.

Harvard-Westlake 2, St. Francis 0: Junior Justin Kirchner threw six scoreless innings with 14 strikeouts and Ira Rootman had a home run and two RBIs.

Loyola 9, Bishop Alemany 3: Sophomore Austin Junk had a three-run home run and double and Luca Marucci also homered in the Cubs’ Mission League win. Mikey Martinez homered for Alemany.

Chaminade 12, Crespi 5: Bronson Jackson, Isaiah Hearn and Robby Morgan each hit home runs in the Mission League win. Kystan Bell had three hits for Crespi.

St. John Bosco 6, Servite 0: Julian Garcia showed off overpowering stuff, striking out 12 with no walks while giving up two hits to help the Braves (17-5, 9-1) remain in first place in the Trinity League. Jaden Jackson had two hits and two RBIs.

Orange Lutheran 6, Santa Margarita 3: The top-ranked Lancers scored four runs in the seventh to overcome a 3-2 deficit. Hamilton Friedberg had three hits and three RBIs and CJ Weinstein added three hits.

Newbury Park 6, Calabasas 5: Jack Laubacher had two hits and three RBIs in the Panthers’ eight-inning win.

Westlake 5, Thousand Oaks 3: The Warriors stayed in first place in the Marmonte League. Jaxson Necklen hit two home runs and Blake Miller added a home run, double, single and two RBIs.

Newport Harbor 8, Fountain Valley 1: Gavin Guy threw six innings in the Sunset League win.

Huntington Beach 6, Los Alamitos 3: Jared Grindlinger hit two doubles to keep Huntington Beach unbeaten in the Sunset League.

Gahr 2, Warren 1: Andres Gonzalez hit a two-run home run in the first inning for Gahr.

La Mirada 6, Downey 1: Michael Burgueno went four for four and Jacob Oropeza contributed two doubles.

San Clemente 4, Aliso Niguel 1: Bob Erspamer gave up two hits with six strikeouts in a complete game.

In a social media post, President Trump announced an extension of the ceasefire in the war on Iran, but with the US blockade still in place. Al Jazeera’s Alan Fisher says there are signs of movement as Trump shifts towards discussing a ‘unified proposal’.

A U.S. warship striking another vessel with its deck gun is very rare occurrence in modern times. When the Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer USS Spruance opened fire on the Iranian cargo ship Touska on April 19th with its 5-inch MK 45 gun, it marked the first time in almost four decades something like that had happened. In fact, the prior incident took place almost exactly 38 years ago to the day in the same general vicinity against the same enemy. 

“From what we are tracking, the last known irrefutable instance of a Navy ship firing its deck gun at another ship was on April 18, 1988 during Operation Praying Mantis,” a U.S. Navy official told us, referring to a duel between the U.S. and Iranian navies in the Persian Gulf.

That’s when the Belknap class guided missile cruiser USS Wainwright, Knox class destroyer escort USS Bagley and the Oliver Hazard Perry class guided missile frigate USS Simpson all fired upon the Iranian Karman class fast attack ship IRIS Joshan.

In addition to launching anti-ship missiles at the Iranian ship, the Wainwright and Bagley engaged the Joshan with 5-inch deck guns while the Simpson used its 3-incher, the official noted. The three ships belonged to what was then known as Surface Action Group (SAG) Charlie.

Praying Mantis was part of the much larger Operation Ernest Will, which began in 1987 when Iraqi and Iranian forces increased attacks on merchant ships in the Persian Gulf during latter stages of the Iran-Iraq War.

Ernest Will involved reflagging Kuwaiti oil tankers under the American banner, allowing them to be escorted by U.S. Navy ships. In July, 1987, during the first such escort, one of those ships struck a mine, setting off a chain reaction of events that led to Praying Mantis. That operation was in response to the Oliver Hazard Perry class guided missile frigate USS Samuel B. Roberts striking an Iranian mine.

The mine’s detonation against the Roberts “blew an immense hole in the ship’s hull,” according to a Navy history of the incident. “Ten Sailors from Samuel B. Roberts sustained severe injuries. Four were seriously burned. Commander Paul X. Rinn was hurt as well. The ship should have sunk, but thanks to an extraordinary damage control effort by all hands of an extremely well-trained crew, Samuel B. Roberts was kept afloat.”

“The U.S. response was fierce,” the Navy history continued. “Operation Praying Mantis was the largest of five major U.S. Navy surface actions since World War II. It was the first, and so far only, time the U.S. Navy has exchanged surface-to-surface missile fire with an enemy, and it resulted in the largest warship sunk by the U.S. Navy since WWII.”

At 10:48 a.m. local time, “an approaching Iranian frigate, Joshan, was identified,” according to Defense Media Network. “The Joshan ignored three warnings issued from the Wainwright, and launched a Harpoon missile that narrowly missed the cruiser.”

The vessels in the U.S. Navy’s surface action group returned fire with SM-1 and Harpoon missiles, heavily damaging the Joshan. The burning frigate was then sunk with gunfire.

The Joshan wasn’t the only Iranian asset hit that day.

“In the one-day operation, the U.S. Navy destroyed two Iranian surveillance platforms, sank two of their ships, and severely damaged another,” according to a Navy history of the event.

Praying Mantis helped change the course of events.

“Stung by its defeats, Iran decreased its attacks against merchant vessels after the US responses,” the Modern Warfare Institute at West Point noted.

While the Spruance attack on the Touska is the Navy’s first use of a deck gun on another ship since then, there are more differences than similarities between these engagements.

The Touska is an unarmed civilian cargo vessel that tried to evade the Navy’s blockade on Iranian ports. While the Spruance’s gun blew a hole in Touska’s engine room, the ship didn’t sink, but was instead boarded and seized. The vast majority of Iran’s navy has been destroyed during Epic Fury, leaving an array of small attack craft, but nothing the size of the Joshan still afloat.

You can see video of the Touska being hit with a 5-inch gun below:

US Navy seizes an Iran-flagged ship near the Strait of Hormuz

Here is a file video of a Arleigh Burke class destroyer firing its 5-inch gun:

5-inch 62-caliber Mk 45 Naval Gun Live Fire – Arleigh Burke-class Destroyer

The Touska encounter didn’t seem to have the same effect on Iran as Praying Mantis. If anything, as we previously noted, for at least certain factions within the fragmented Iranian power structure, it hardened the resolve not to enter a second round of negotiations to end the war. Though Trump has extended the deadline for a ceasefire, Iran has yet to indicate it will return to the bargaining table.

Iran, calling the Touska incident an act of piracy, has demanded the return of the ship and its crew and has threatened retaliation. However that has yet to happen.

Regardless, now we know the last time the U.S. Navy has used one of its main deck guns against another ship in anger was 38 years ago.

Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com

KERRY Katona has revealed she’s experiencing speech difficulties after she was rushed to hospital over stroke fears.

The Atomic Kitten singer said she was with her partner Paolo Margaglione and her daughter Heidi who noticed that her mum’s face didn’t ‘appear right’.

Kerry, 45, was in London at the time of the incident, watching her eldest daughter Molly in a new play, when she fell unwell midway through the performance.

The TV personality was then rushed to hospital in an ambulance where it was treated “as a stroke”.

Although it was later ruled out as a stroke and most likely a result of stress, the mother-of-five said she’s still dealing with aftereffects.

Writing in her New column, she said: “I know I’m talking differently and I know my face looks different after my suspected stroke, but it’s actually loads better.

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Kerry Katona reveals she was rushed to hospital over stroke fears

“It comes and goes.”

Kerry admitted that the terrifying ordeal had sent her anxiety through the roof.

She continued: “I’ve just got to try and not think about it, because I’m the worst hypochondriac in the world.

“It’s awful for my family, I think they’re all fed up and sick of me at this point.

“I have severe health anxiety, so when I start reading all the comments and I start learning all these new things that could be wrong, it makes me truly panic.”

Kerry opened up about the hospital dash earlier this month.

She told the Mirror: “I went to the toilet and noticed my face wasn’t right.

“And Heidi was like, ‘Mum, what’s wrong with your face?’ I started panicking. I discreetly left, went to my hotel and asked to see a doctor. I told the staff, ‘Something’s not right.’”

The mum-of-five was subsequently rushed to hospital in an ambulance.

“I got there, and they said, ‘We’re treating this as a stroke,’ so they blue-lit me in an ambulance from St Thomas’ to King’s College Hospital,” explains Kerry.

“They were shining lights in my eyes while my face and speech were getting worse.

“An hour ago I was watching our Molly in a play and now I’m being treated for a stroke. What the actual f**k? It just shows how quickly things can change.”

She said she felt ‘really scared’ and feared the worst but a stroke was later ruled out after a CT scan.

The Celebs Go Dating star revealed that her health scare was down to ‘delayed stress’ that can affect a person after they’ve ‘found peace’.

Following the incident, Kerry jetted off on holiday to Spain with her family to celebrate Dylan-Jorge’s 12th birthday but said she would see follow-up care when back in the country.

Kerry has Molly, 24, and Lilly-Sue, 23, with ex Brian McFadden; Heidi, 19, and Max, 17, with ex Mark Croft; and daughter Dylan-Jorge (known as DJ), 12, with late-husband George Kay.

Kerry exclusively told The Sun how things have been looking up for her ever since coupling up with new beau Paolo – 12 years her junior.

“Paolo is just a complete one-off,” she said.

“I’ve never met a human being like him. It actually makes me anxious, because I keep thinking it’s just too good to be true. I get emotional talking about him.

“I am so lucky I found him. I feel loved and wanted. I’ve never felt like that. I don’t think I’ve ever really truly been in proper love until I met Paolo. I don’t think I realised how starved I was of affection.

“I wasn’t even looking for a boyfriend or to get married again – I couldn’t think of anything worse. I wanted a pay cheque, exposure and a therapist [from the show]. Then I met him and thought, ‘You’re different.’”

World number one Judd Trump recovered from a slow start to defeat Gary Wilson in their first-round match.

Trump, the 2019 champion, lost four of the first five frames as Wilson, ranked 27th, moved into a 4-1 lead.

But Trump then claimed the final four frames of the session, including superb breaks of 128 and 77, to hold a 5-4 advantage.

However, Wilson, a three-time ranking event winner, made the highest break of the session with a superb 139 clearance in frame five.

In the second session later on Tuesday, Wilson made a break of 58 to make it 5-5, but Trump pulled clear by winning five in a row to seal a 10-5 success.

Trump, 36, has been top of the world rankings since August 2024 and will extend that run if he reaches the quarter-finals.

“I like being number one, it’s going to be difficult to keep it unless I do really well in the next season but I take a lot of pride in it,” he said.

Trump lives in Dubai but, because of the recent conflict in the Middle East, he left the area temporarily.

“I had to stay in Thailand for a month, and I managed to practice for the World Championship, but it has been more back to normal now,” he said.

“Dubai is still my base, I’ve been back there in the last couple of weeks and everything is normal.”

A downbeat Wilson, speaking to BBC Four, said: “It’s just constant disappointment. I am, and always have been since the age of 13, a better player than this.

“It’s a constant struggle. The yips are getting worse and I’m just riding through it.”

Argentine President Javier Milei sang and lit a ceremonial torch at Israel’s 78th Independence Day celebrations. Milei has doubled down on relations with Israel at a time when other leaders are distancing themselves.

Several private equity firms and Hollywood power players, including United Talent Agency and longtime agent Patrick Whitesell, have expressed interest in buying parts of Casey Wasserman’s music and sports management firm after it abruptly went up for sale.

Wasserman became ensnared in controversy earlier this year after his salacious decades-old emails to Ghislaine Maxwell, an accomplice of child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, were released as part of the U.S. Justice Department’s trove of Epstein files.

The agency auction is in the early stages, according to three people close to the process but not authorized to comment.

Earlier this week, several interested parties submitted proposals to meet a preliminary deadline in the auction, two of the sources said.

The company, which changed its name to the Team last month, is expected to be valued at around $3 billion.

Providence Equity Partners holds the majority stake. The private equity firm has discussed selling the entire company or carving off Wasserman’s minority interest. Providence also has considered selling the bulk of the firm and staying on as a minority investor, one of the sources said. Another scenario could involve separating, then selling the individual business units that make up the Team.

Wasserman and Providence’s company boasts an enviable roster of music artists, including Kendrick Lamar, Coldplay and Ed Sheeran. Its sports marketing practice is viewed as particularly lucrative and has potential to grow in value as big dollars flow into sports that draw large crowds.

Wasserman, who declined to comment, has a veto right over any sale of the company that he has spent a quarter of a century building.

UTA, which also declined to comment, is among the most aggressive suitors, the sources said. The Team’s sports marketing and music representation divisions would dramatically boost the Beverly Hills agency’s profile and client roster.

Whitesell, former executive chairman of Endeavor, separately has been motivated to make investments in sports, media and entertainment since last year when he left the talent agency that he and Ari Emanuel built. Whitesell launched a new firm with seed money from private equity firm Silver Lake and last spring he started WIN Sports Group to represent professional football players.

Whitesell wasn’t immediately available for comment.

European investment firm Permira also has expressed interest, according to a knowledgeable source. Permira declined comment.

The New York Times first reported that Permira, UTA and Whitesell had expressed interest.

The sales process is expected to stretch into summer, the knowledgeable people said. The auction could become complicated particularly if Providence decides to unwind the business.

For example, UTA could not buy the entire company because of the Brillstein television unit. The agency is bound by an agreement with the Writers Guild of America that prevents it from owning television production.

Investment bank Moelis & Company is managing the sale. A representative of the firm declined comment.

Wasserman also is the chairman of LA28, the nonprofit group that will be staging the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in two years.

Following revelations of Wasserman’s 2003 emails with Maxwell, several musicians and athletes — led by pop artist Chappell Roan and soccer star Abby Wambach — said that, to stay true to their values, they would leave the agency then known as Wasserman.

Wasserman apologized to his staff for “past personal mistakes” and said he would sell the agency.

He had limited dealings with Epstein, flying on the financier’s jet along with former President Clinton for a September 2002 humanitarian trip through Africa.

Wasserman, a prolific Clinton fundraiser whose legendary grandfather, Hollywood titan Lew Wasserman, helped the Democrat win the 1992 presidential election, was joined on Epstein’s jet by his then-wife, Laura, actor Kevin Spacey, Epstein, Maxwell — who was convicted of sexual abuse in 2021 — and others, including security agents.

LA28 board’s executive committee unanimously voted to keep Wasserman as chairman, citing his “strong leadership” of the Games.

Mike Vrabel doesn’t want to be a distraction.

The New England Patriots coach knows that much of the chatter around his team in recent weeks has nothing to do with the reigning AFC champions’ offseason workouts or their plans for the NFL draft later this week.

Instead, it’s been about a “personal and private matter” that Vrabel decided to address at the top of his news conference Tuesday in Foxborough, Mass. Although he didn’t specify, the second-year Patriots coach seemed to be referring to photos recently published by the New York Post’s Page Six of him and Dianna Russini, who was at the time a reporter for the Athletic, interacting at an Arizona resort.

The photos appear to show Russini and Vrabel — both married to other people — holding hands, hugging and sitting in a hot tub and a swimming pool. In the April 7 article that accompanied the photos, Russini and Vrabel gave statements denying that anything inappropriate was happening between them.

In his first public comments since the article was published, Vrabel did not mention Russini or the photos. Instead, Vrabel spoke about how he has handled the situation and what his family, the team and the fan base can expect from him “going forward.”

“I’ve had some difficult conversations with people that I care about — my family, the organization, the coaches, the players,” Vrabel said. “Those have been positive and productive. We believe in order to be successful on and off the field, you have to make good decisions. That includes me; that starts with me.

“We never want our actions to negatively affect the team. We never want to be the cause of the distraction. These are comments and questions that I’ve answered for the team and with the team. We’ll keep those private and to ourselves.

“I care deeply about this football team and am excited to coach it. I also know that I’m going to attack each day with humility and focus. And what I can promise you is that my family, this organization, the team, the staff, the coaches, everybody, our fans, most importantly, will get the best version of me going forward.”

A Patriots spokesman said team officials have no plans to address the issue further. The NFL has indicated it is not investigating the matter.

In the Page Six article, Athletic executive editor Steven Ginsberg expressed full support for Russini and said the photos “are misleading and lack essential context.” Days later, however, the New York Times, owner of the Athletic, reported that the digital sports outlet would conduct an investigation.

On April 14, Russini submitted her letter of resignation to the Athletic, then posted it on X. In it, Russini states she has “no interest in submitting to a public inquiry that has already caused far more damage than I am willing to accept.”

“This media frenzy is hurtling forward without regard for the review process The Athletic is trying to complete,” Russini wrote. “It continues to escalate, fueled by repeated leaks. … Rather than allowing this to continue, I have decided to step aside now — before my current contract expires on June 30. I do so not because I accept the narrative that has been constructed around this episode, but because I refuse to lend it further oxygen or to let it define me or my career.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

April 21 (Asia Today) — China has denied entry to South Korea’s intelligence chief and signaled reluctance to improve bilateral relations, amid growing tensions over Seoul’s perceived stance on Taiwan, according to diplomatic sources.

A South Korean delegation led by lawmaker Cho Jung-sik of the Democratic Party of Korea recently visited Beijing and returned Sunday after holding talks on political issues and bilateral relations. The delegation had initially planned to include National Intelligence Service Director Lee Jong-seok.

However, Chinese authorities reportedly refused Lee’s visit, citing remarks in which he suggested that engagement with Taiwan could be used as leverage to encourage China’s cooperation in improving inter-Korean relations.

According to a diplomatic source in Beijing, China reacted strongly to the comments and demanded an explanation through diplomatic channels. The delegation was subsequently restructured to include deputy officials and retired military officers instead of Lee.

Although the visit proceeded, its outcomes were limited. Chinese officials maintained protocol by assigning a vice foreign minister to host the delegation, but expectations for substantive progress were low, sources said.

Beijing is believed to be increasingly dissatisfied with what it views as South Korea’s ambiguous position – publicly supporting the “One China” principle while maintaining a level of engagement with Taiwan.

Tensions have also been fueled by a recent dispute over how Taiwan is officially referenced, in which South Korea appeared to adjust its position following objections from Taipei. Chinese officials reportedly viewed the move as inconsistent and unfavorable.

The strained atmosphere has cast doubt on the possibility of a visit to South Korea this year by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, which Seoul has sought as part of efforts to stabilize ties.

Analysts say the situation highlights the need for South Korea to carefully manage relations with China while balancing broader regional dynamics.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260421010006584

Beverley Callard cried in a new video posted this evening as she explained how I’m A Celebrity was the start of her struggles, which eventually led to her being diagnosed with breast cancer

Beverley Callard broke down in tears as she said her I’m A Celebrity exit was the start of her cancer battle.

The Coronation Street star was forced to quit I’m A Celebrity days before the final on medical grounds. She departed the show after falling ill, with bosses telling her she had to leave for her health.

However, now Beverley has spoken out and explained how she lost consciousness whilst on the show, admitting “I didn’t know then that I had cancer” as she reflected on her time on the show.

Speaking after her exit aired on the ITV show, she said: “I just watched my exit on I’m A Celeb and it made me cry all over again. Of course, I didn’t know then that I had cancer but I just knew that it was the last couple of days there that I hadn’t felt very well.

“What happened was, I went into the Bush Telegraph and apparently, I lost consciousness for a little while. I just wasn’t feeling myself. They took me to a medical hut and they were amazing; they really looked after me and they said you can’t go back.”

She added: “And I said ‘don’t say that, don’t send me home, I’ll be fine. I wanted to succeed and make it through to the end but that was the start of everything. It’s made me really emotional but I will beat this. I will beat it.”

Announcing her exit to her campmates tonight, Beverley explained how she was told she had to leave. She gathered them around and cried as she said: “Hi guys, I’ve just got something to tell you all.

“I didn’t feel very well this morning… and the medics have advised I can’t return to camp. I’ve got to go home. I don’t want to go. I’m absolutely gutted. I wanted to finish.”

She said she “had a funny turn and they’ve said I can’t come back in and I’ve got to go out. I don’t want to go. I’m gutted I wanted to finish. I wanted to prove older women could do it.”

Scarlett then told her: “Your health is more important,” with Adam adding: “Look how far you have come. I’m so proud of you.” Craig said of her exit: “She gave a really good account of herself and can leave with her head held high.”

Since announcing her diagnosis in February, Beverley has been keeping fans updated on her health and recovery.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

Star receiver Puka Nacua will fully participate in voluntary offseason workouts, the Rams are getting closer to another contract adjustment with quarterback Matthew Stafford, and coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead hope backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo decides to put off retirement and return for a third season and possible Super Bowl run.

McVay and Snead addressed those topics and the NFL draft on Tuesday during a videoconference with reporters.

Nacua led the NFL in receptions last season but also was involved in a string of off-the-field incidents the last few months, including an alleged biting incident that led to a civil lawsuit. Those situations put the brakes on any immediate discussion between the Rams and Nacua about a massive extension for the fourth-year pro.

In March, Nacua began a rehabilitation program in Malibu, but he was present for the first day of workouts on Monday.

Nacua, 24, “looks great” and is “doing really well,” McVay said. McVay declined to detail discussions he’s had with the All-Pro, who was a finalist for NFL offensive player of the year.

“He and I have a great relationship,” McVay said. “Feel really good about kind of the direction we’re going.”

Stafford, 38, led the Rams to the NFC championship game last season and is the reigning NFL most valuable player. According to overthecap.com, he is due to carry a salary-cap number of $48.3 million this season.

But Stafford has no doubt demanded, and will receive, a raise and a possible additional year in a deal that the Rams acknowledged two years ago is essentially a year-to-year situation.

“Progress has been made,” Snead said of negotiations.

There is no timeline, Snead said, “but don’t expect any drama, per se.”

Garoppolo, 34, has backed up Stafford for two seasons, and he has been invaluable.

Last year, with Stafford sidelined for training camp because of a back issue, Garoppolo ran the offense and prepped the defense with a skillset honed during a 12-year career that included a Super Bowl appearance. Stafford joined workouts before the season and remained healthy throughout, but Garoppolo was perhaps the most valuable insurance policy in the NFL.

Last season, Garoppolo played on a one-year contract and earned $4.5 million, according to overthecap.com.

McVay expressed confidence in fourth-year pro Stetson Bennett, but said he was hopeful that “when the time is right,” Garoppolo will “change his mind,” and return.

“You leave the door open,” McVay said when asked if there was a point that Rams would press Garoppolo to return. “I don’t think you want to press. What you don’t want to do is ever force a guy to play if in his mind he’s ready to move on.

“But you don’t want to minimize that, ‘Hey, if you do decide you want to play, let’s make sure it’s here with us.”

The Rams have the 13th pick in the NFL draft, which begins Thursday in Pittsburgh. They have one pick in the second and third rounds, one in the sixth round and three in the seventh.

Receiver, offensive line and edge rusher are among the positions the Rams could address with their first top-15 pick since they selected quarterback Jared Goff with the No. 1 pick in 2016.

“There’s a lot of possibilities,” McVay said. “We don’t control what happens in those 12 picks before, and so what we’ve done is a lot of contingency planning and a lot of conversations, and feel really good about that.”

April 21 (UPI) — European airline Lufthansa announced Tuesday that it will chop 20,000 “unprofitable” short-haul flights through October, a move the company says will save more than 40,000 metric tons of jet fuel.

The company, which is based in Germany, said fuel costs have doubled since the start of the conflict in Iran. This follows a move last week to retire the 27-plane fleet of its CityLine subsidiary ahead of schedule, Politico reported.

Lufthansa canceled the first 120 flights, which were to take place through the end of May, on Monday and said it had alerted affected passengers.The 20,000 cancelations include the former CityLine flights and affect the airline’s hubs in Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna, Brussels and Rome.

“Passengers will therefore continue to have access to the global route network, particularly long-haul connections,” Lufthansa said in its announcement. “However, due to the increase in jet fuel prices, this will be achieved significantly more efficiently than before.”

The airline said that it will post the schedule “optimizations” from June onward in late April.

Politico reported that other airlines, including SAS Scandinavian Airlines and Air France- KLM, have turned to similar measures to deal with fuel costs.

The Lyrid meteor shower was first recorded almost 3,000 years ago by Chinese astronomers.

And they were named after the constellation of Lyra from where the meteors appear to originate and occurs every year from 16 to 25 April, but often peaking around 22 April.

Distinctive features of the Lyrids are their colours and brightness – along with exceptionally bright fireballs from time to time, outshining the planet Venus.

The colours are created by very small dust particles – no bigger than a grain of sand – interacting with the particles and ions in Earth’s atmosphere.

As the grains heat up and ionise, they produce the light we can see with the trail produced as the meteor cools and fades.

Fireballs are made when larger pieces of debris – more like the size of a grape or an acorn – pass though the atmosphere. As they are so much bigger when they heat up they create a flash and a line, often called a train, behind them.

While the Lyrid meteor shower is visible every year, Comet Thatcher takes 415 years to complete its orbit of the Sun and won’t be visible again until 2283.

KIM Kardashian and Lewis Hamilton’s romantic beach pictures prove that they’ve hard launched a VERY different relationship.

Body language expert Judi James has revealed that Kim, 45, and Lewis, 41, appear to be the real deal with “genuine displays of intimacy”.

The happy couple, who went official with their relationship in December, packed on the PDA during their getaway in Malibu.

The Skims founder looked in her element as she enjoyed a surf lesson with her beau.

TV personality Kim showed off her incredible figure in a skintight wetsuit and a black bikini top.

The F1 star wore a pair of black shorts and a matching T-shirt.

They were seen all over each other as they struggled to keep their hands off one another.

Judi has now revealed that the beach snaps illustrate just how much this famous couple are compatible, despite fears that they were a showmance.

Even though it’s early days, Judi believes that their is already a strong level of trust between the pair.

She exclusively told The Sun: “They might have been seen on a couple of chaste-looking dates where Lewis’s body language primarily spelled out ‘gentleman’ but these photos and the video look like the hard launch of a more tactile, sexual and romantic relationship between Kim and Lewis.

“Kim’s leading the plunge here, swimming ahead of Lewis as he seems to be struggling to catch up with her and touch her.

“When they are together in the ocean there are signs of an uninhibited and playful, mutually clinging relationship with Kim encircling Lewis with her arms and throwing her head back with an open-mouth laugh of sheer pleasure, with her relaxed neck-baring a sign of strong levels of trust in the relationship.”

The expert insisted that Kim appears to be in charge of the relationship but also seem to be rather like-minded and on the same page.

“Kim does look like the leader in the body language stages here, at one point she stands with her feet slightly splayed and her back arched as she performs a preening, confident pit-bare gesture as she squeezes the water out of her hair,” Judi shared.

“Lewis’s response is reciprocal as he shows his admiration by placing one hand out and onto the upper part of her bum.

“During a playful-looking moment Kim turns her torso in towards his, pressing it against his torso in an intimate pose as she places one hand on his waist and here he responds with one hand curved right around the shape of her bum.

“Kim and Lewis have dressed in coordinating swimwear here to signal they are a couple and their mirrored movements and poses at some points suggest a like-minded relationship too.”

Kim and Lewis packed on the PDA and were seen strolling along the beach and were pictured smiling and laughing together.

The lovebirds were then seen splashing about in the sea and were spotted with their arms wrapped around one another.

They appeared to be the real deal as they kept eye contact and smooched while riding the waves in the sea.

They were also seen showing off their surf skills during the sporty outing, with Kim jumping on top of the board, while Lewis kept an eye on her.

They seemed comfortable in each other’s presence as they clung to each other and rode the waves.

Last week, Kim sparked Kim rumours that she is moving in with Lewis as they went rug shopping in LA.

Lewis attempted to go incognito with black sunglasses and a baseball cap.

The two were seen heading back into a vehicle as they made their way home after the shopping trip.

Just last week, Kim made an 11,000-mile round-trip to spend 24 hours in London with Lewis.

She flew to the UK on her private jet to see her man in a bid to keep their long-distance romance alive.

She left Los Angeles last Monday and landed at Farnborough, Hants, at 4pm on the Tuesday before being chauffeured on a 90-minute journey to Lewis’s £18million home in Kensington, West London.

The couple stayed holed-up in his six-bedroom mansion while their security teams kept guard.

She then left on Wednesday afternoon, taking off from Oxford at 5.30pm to return to the US.

A source said: “Lewis and Kim are two of the busiest people in showbiz, but they are determined to do everything to see each other when they have any spare time.

“Kim spent Easter weekend with her family and then had a photoshoot in Los Angeles on Monday morning, then flew across the Atlantic to see Lewis.

“They didn’t have long together because she had commitments in the US to get back to, but it was quality time.”

Kim’s romance with Lewis became public knowledge after The Sun revealed she flew in from Los Angeles on her £100million private jet to spend an evening with him.

On January 31, the couple enjoyed a brief stay at the exclusive Estelle Manor in the Cotswolds, with insiders saying they had the spa to themselves, before enjoying a meal in a private room.

They made their public debut as a couple at the Super Bowl in February where they were spotted sitting together in a luxury suite.

They have since been seen together in Paris, the US and for several other trips.

Proving they’re the real deal, the sports star recently met Kim’s children while they were out in Tokyo ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.

The couple were  joined by three of her children -Saint, 10, Chicago, nine, and six-year-old Psalm – while they were on spring break.

“It’s more than just a casual connection. It takes a lot to capture Kim’s interest and she’s definitely intrigued,” an insider told People.

“He’s just an easygoing guy with great energy.

“Her family likes him and Kim’s very into him. They are both busy with their careers, but see each other as much as possible.”

Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior said his team’s performance was both “indefensible” and “unacceptable” as he faced angry chants from his own supporters for the first time.

The chants began when Chelsea fell 1-0 behind at the Amex Stadium, with the visitors having barely registered an attempt on goal, before they eventually succumbed to a 3-0 defeat on Tuesday night.

It was a worrying display and a further dip in performance given Chelsea did not mount a shot on goal until the 40th minute and were error-prone defensively.

Chelsea extend an unwanted run of five consecutive defeats without scoring, their worst such sequence since 1912.

It played out in front of influential co-owner Behdad Eghbali and the club’s sporting directors on the south coast, where Rosenior began his coaching career.

As a result, questions will grow over whether the Englishman can continue in the dugout in the long term, with a last chance to save the season to come in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley against Leeds on Sunday.

In response to questioning about delivering such a poor display, Rosenior said: “It was unacceptable in every aspect of the game, unacceptable in our attitude. I keep coming out and defending of the players.

“That’s indefensible, that performance tonight. The manner of the goals we conceded, the amount of duels that we lost, the lack of intensity in the team. Something needs to change drastically right now.

“I think the players as well need to have a look in the mirror for what they put in. You can talk about tactics, tactics come after the basics. Having more courage to play, winning duels, winning headers, tackles, conceding terrible goals. That was an unacceptable performance tonight.”

Seven points behind fifth-placed Liverpool, having played a game more, Chelsea‘s Champions League hopes look in tatters and there are questions about whether the head coach, the players or the fans are on the same page.

Ballot delivery delays and other missteps on election day have contributed to frustration with electoral authorities.

The head of Peru’s election authority has resigned from his role amid widespread anger over the country’s chaotic general election earlier this month, with vote counting still under way.

Piero Corvetto said in a social media post on Tuesday that he was stepping down as head of the National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE), a government body tasked with organising elections in Peru.

In a letter to the National Board of Justice (JNJ), Corvetto denied that irregularities had taken place, as some politicians have alleged.

But he explained that he was leaving in a bid to increase public confidence, ahead of an anticipated second round of voting in the presidential race on June 7.

The first round of the election, held on April 12, was marred by logistical issues that led to the extension of voting hours around the capital Lima and elsewhere.

Election observers have acknowledged missteps with the electoral process but cautioned that there is no firm evidence of fraud.

Peru’s National Jury of Elections (JNE) said the voting results will be finalised no later than May 15, with the top two presidential candidates advancing to the final round.

Right-wing candidate Keiko Fujimori leads with about 17 percent of the vote and is likely to advance to the run-off.

But who will face her remains a mystery. Left-wing Congressman Roberto Sanchez and Lima’s former far-right mayor Rafael Lopez Aliaga remain virtually tied, with 12 percent and 11.9 percent respectively.

The hectic first round of voting could deepen dissatisfaction with the country’s political system at a time of protracted instability and sloping trust in government institutions.

Even before the April election, about 68 percent of Peruvians said that they had little to no trust in the country’s election authorities, according to a poll conducted by the Institute for Peruvian Studies (IEP) and the Institute Bartolome de las Casas (IBC).

Some presidential candidates, including Lopez Aliaga, have pushed unconfirmed claims of fraud and have called for the first round of voting to be nullified.

Election authorities have begun to review thousands of contested ballots that were challenged due to inconsistencies, missing details or tally sheet errors.

Hezbollah MP, Hassan Fadlallah said that Hezbollah will eliminate the “yellow line” declared by Israel in southern Lebanon, stressing that “no one will be able to disarm the party.”

In an interview with Agence France-Presse, Fadlallah said: “We will topple this yellow line through resistance, through our insistence on our legitimate right to defend ourselves and our country.”

He added: “The Israeli army’s attempt to establish a buffer zone, under the guise of a front line, a yellow line, and a green line—we will break all these lines. We will not accept any of them, and we will reach our villages on the internationally recognized borders, no matter the sacrifices, no matter the cost.”

“There will be no disarmament of the resistance, and no one in Lebanon or abroad will be able to disarm it”, he added.

He said that “it is in the interest of the President of the Republic to withdraw from the path of direct negotiations with Israel,” adding that Hezbollah wants the ceasefire to continue.

“It is in the interest of Lebanon, the President of the Republic, and the government to withdraw from the path of direct negotiations and return to a national consensus on the best option for Lebanon,” he said, describing the move toward direct negotiations as “a unilateral decision on a fateful matter related to Lebanon’s future.”

He added: “We will reject and confront any attempt to impose political prices on Lebanon through concessions offered to this Israeli enemy.”

Fadlallah added he wants the ceasefire to continue, alongside efforts to ensure the withdrawal of the occupation army, the return of displaced persons to their villages, the release of prisoners, and the launch of a reconstruction program.

Talk about a crime of fashion.

Madonna revealed Monday on social media that the purple jacket, corset and dress she wore Friday during a surprise performance with Sabrina Carpenter at Coachella are missing.

“Bringing Confessions II back to where it began was such a thrill,” she wrote. “This full circle moment hit different until I discovered that the vintage pieces that I wore went missing. … These aren’t just clothes, they are part of my history.”

The clothes are archival items that she wore in the early aughts during her “Confessions on a Dance Floor” era. Her upcoming “Confessions on a Dance Floor: Part II,” set to be released July 3, is a sequel to the 2005 album. Madonna played Coachella’s Sahara Tent 20 years ago in a similar purple getup.

Madonna appeared midway through Carpenter’s headlining performance at Weekend 2 of Coachella. The 67-year-old singer rose from beneath the stage as Carpenter sang “Juno.” The pair then transitioned into a rendition of her 1990 hit “Vogue.” Madonna also performed an unreleased song — “Bring Your Love” — followed by 2005’s “Get Together” and 1989’s “Like a Prayer.”

“I’m hoping and praying that some kind soul, will find these items and reach out to my team,” she continued, offering a reward to anyone who could recover the items and providing an email for her representatives.

A spokesperson for the Indio Police Department said in a statement Tuesday that “at this time, there is no evidence to suggest the bags were intentionally stolen.”

A representative for the singer filed a missing property report for items including clothing and jewelry Saturday shortly after 7 p.m., according to the statement. The items were last seen on a golf cart at the Empire Polo Grounds Saturday around 1:30 a.m.

“Preliminary investigation indicates the two bags containing the items may have fallen off a golf cart operated by staff who were on their way to load the bags onto a bus,” the statement read. “Upon arriving at the hotel shortly thereafter, the staff realized the bags were missing.”

If you have seen the bags, contact Indio Police at (760) 391-4057 or Crime Stoppers at (760) 341-STOP to share information anonymously.

WASHINGTON — Amid growing national security concerns, the FBI said Tuesday that it has launched a broad investigation in the deaths or disappearances of at least 10 scientists and staff connected to highly sensitive research, including four from the Los Angeles area.

“The FBI is spearheading the effort to look for connections into the missing and deceased scientists. We are working with the Department of Energy, Department of War, and with our state and state and local law enforcement partners to find answers,” the agency said in a statement.

The FBI’s announcement comes after the House Oversight Committee announced that it would investigate reports of the disappearance and deaths of the scientists, sending letters seeking information from the agencies involved in the federal inquiry as well as NASA, which owns the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Cañada Flintridge, where three of the missing or dead scientists worked.

“If the reports are accurate, these deaths and disappearances may represent a grave threat to U.S. national security and to U.S. personnel with access to scientific secrets,” Reps. James Comer (R-Ky.), chairman of the committee, and Eric Burlison (R-Mo.) wrote in the letters.

President Trump told reporters last week that he had been briefed on the missing and dead scientists, which he described as “pretty serious stuff.” He said at the time that he expected answers on whether the deaths were connected “in the next week and a half.”

Michael David Hicks, who studied comets and asteroids at JPL, was the first of the scientists who disappeared or died. He died on July 30, 2023, at the age of 59. No cause of death was disclosed.

A year later, JPL physicist Frank Maiwald died at 61, with no cause of death disclosed.

Two other Los Angeles scientists are part of the string of deaths and disappearances.

On June 22, 2025, Monica Jacinto Reza, a materials scientist at JPL, disappeared while on a hike near Mt. Waterman in the San Gabriel Mountains.

On Feb. 16, Caltech astrophysicist Carl Grillmair was fatally shot on the porch of his Llano home. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s department arrested Freddy Snyder, 29, in connection with the shooting. Snyder had been arrested in December on suspicion of trespassing on Grillmair’s property.

Snyder has been charged with murder.

There is no evidence at this point that the deaths and disappearances, which occurred over a span of four years, are connected.

A spokesperson for NASA, which owns JPL, said in a statement on X that the agency is “coordinating and cooperating with the relevant agencies in relation to the missing scientists.

“At this time, nothing related to NASA indicates a national security threat,” agency spokesperson Bethany Stevens wrote. “The agency is committed to transparency and will provide more information as able.”

Representatives from Caltech did not immediately respond to a request for comment.